Microsoft's Surface Pro comes bundled with an interesting slogan. No longer is it, "the tablet that can replace your laptop," now it's "the most versatile laptop." I wholeheartedly disagree with Microsoft calling the Surface Pro a laptop, regardless of whether it's calling the device a "versatile laptop."
Microsoft's original tagline for the Surface Pro 4 was honest and straightforward. It explained to whoever is reading it that the Surface Pro 4 is a tablet, but it's such a "versatile tablet" that it can also be a laptop. This explanation makes the most sense, especially when you consider the fact that the Surface Pro doesn't even come bundled with a Type Cover. You have to buy that separately.
If the Surface Pro came bundled with a Type Cover, I'd be willing to let the new slogan slide. But the fact of the matter is when your average Joe goes out to buy a Surface Pro, he's buying a tablet. Only once he realizes that the "laptop" part is an additional extra will he turn that tablet into something that can be used just like a laptop.
The new Surface Pro's slogan is essentially the reverse of what the Surface Pro 4 slogan was. Now Microsoft is calling the Surface Pro a "versatile laptop," which insinuates that it's a laptop first and foremost. The Surface Pro is a tablet before anything else, so that's what Microsoft should call.
Three laptops and an all-in-one
Microsoft calling the Surface Pro a laptop also confuses what the Surface family has to offer too. Microsoft now has four consumer-facing Surface products on the market: the Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Surface Book and Surface Studio. Microsoft's calls the Surface Pro, Laptop and Book laptops, and the Surface Studio a desktop.
In reality, Microsoft's new Surface family is way more than that. Microsoft offers a tablet, a laptop, a 2-in-1 PC and a desktop in its Surface lineup, not three laptops and a desktop. Why offer general consumers the choice between three very different and distinct laptops? That just confuses the problem altogether. It would make more sense for Microsoft to further differentiate its lineup.
If Microsoft were to market its products as they actually are, I think Microsoft could reach a much wider audience in its marketing materials. A tablet that can be a laptop, a pure laptop, a 2-in-1 that's a pretty good laptop, and a desktop that's just awesome.
Microsoft calling the new Surface Pro a laptop is probably due to a bunch of market research the company did when deciding on how to sell the Surface Pro, but that doesn't make it accurate. No matter how you put it, the Surface Pro is not a laptop. It's a tablet that has an optional keyboard accessory that allows you to use it like a laptop.
Microsoft's new Surface Pro slogan should be "The most versatile tablet." Or the company should have stuck with the Surface Pro 4 slogan of "The tablet that can replace your laptop," which I like much more. That older slogan was a bold statement. The new slogan is just wrong.
What are your thoughts on the new Surface Pro slogan? Let us know in the comments.
